August 17, 2020

Alice in Wonderland's Golden Afternoon at the Magic Kingdom

Back then as now, there were a very talented group of women in Imagineering! The very gifted Nila Clayton painted this beautiful concept art for the Alice in Wonderland scene in the Magic Kingdom's opening day original attraction, the Mickey Mouse Revue. What would this assortment of garden flora sing? All in the Golden Afternoon of course! 

As with all attractions, concept art forms the foundation of what's to come. It's here that the Imagineers begin to formulate a feel for the ride or show and how to communicate what they are working to accomplish. Details are worked out, and artwork becomes sets, props, and Audio-Animatronic characters. Just imagine holding up your art and seeing it come to life! 

The end results of years of work is an attraction that engages guests and uplifts them with an experience unique to Disney. In this case, Nila Clayton's beautiful painting became a charming and beloved segment in the Fantasyland favorite. It's a shame that the show went to Japan! Mickey's Philharmagic is great fun, but there's certainly room for both the old and new in the Magic Kingdom

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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